1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to image processing apparatuses, session managing methods, and session managing programs. Particularly, the invention relates to image processing apparatuses, session managing methods, and session managing programs in which operator privileges are managed based on the role of the operator.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a multifunction peripheral as an example of an image processing apparatus, the period between login and logout of an operator is managed in terms of a session. In such a multifunction peripheral, authentication is performed on a session by session basis. Authentication involves confirmation of the role of the operator as general administrator, user administrator, etc., based on factors such as user name or group.
In the multifunction peripheral, an operation by the operator who is logged in is allowed or prohibited in accordance with the operator's confirmed role. For example, an operation permitted exclusively to a user administrator is only allowed within a login session in which the user is authenticated as having the role as user administrator, and prohibited in a login session in which the user is authenticated as having the role as general administrator. Such management of operator privileges based on the role of the authenticated operator is described in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Applications No. 2005-266699 and 2006-195755.
In connection with the multifunction peripheral, an operator may have multiple roles as a general user, a general administrator, and so on. In such a case, when the operator, having logged in as general user to perform an operation allowed to a general user, wishes to perform an operation granted to a general administrator, he needs to once log out and then log in again as general administrator.
Thus, there has been the need to equip the conventional multifunction peripheral with functionality to allow an operator who is logged in to change his role, such as from general administrator to user administrator, by a simple operation.
However, conventional multifunction peripherals are constrained by inflexible security policy, which spells basic provisions on information security. For example, in a conventional multifunction peripheral, an operation for role change is required to follow the security policy.